Signal



July 2, 1929.

W. T. GORRELL S IGNAL Filed March 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 'l LL; l W

R 2 s SR w: m m K i n gime/nto@ WgffeZ July 2,1929. w. T. GoRRr-:LL 1.719.697

SIGNAL Filed March 9, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 the result of the actuation of the Patented July 2, 17929.

UNITED STATES-f PATENT; OFFICE.

WILLIAM THOMAS GORRELL, OF CROWELL, rJEXAS.

y SIGNAL.

Application filed March 9, 1927. Serial No. 173,941.

This invent-ion relates to railroad crossing signals of that type adapted to be operated by a car approaching the crossing and adapted when in operation to giveboth'audible and visual-signals. l

The present invention has for one of its objects to provide a device ofthe character stated wherein the visual signal shall be` given by a semaphore mounted for rocking movement in a vert-ical plane and a reflector with respect to which the semaphore moves and which is adapted to 'permit the rays of the headlights of the car to be utilized for the purpose of illuminating the semaphore at night.

The invention' has for a further object to provide a device of the character stated wherein `the semaphore shall be equipped with a red lens through which the krays of the headlights shall be directed by the reflector, Y

The invention has for a further object to provide a device of lthe character' .stated wherein the audible signal shall be given by a gongiwith respect to which the semaphore moves, and a hammer carried by the semaphore and adapted to be brought into contact with the gong during certain movements of the semaphore. f

The invention has fora furtherobject to provide a -device of the character stated which shall include wheel 'actuated means so constructed andco'nnected to the semaphore as to impart both an upward and a downward rocking movement to thesemapliore as means by each wheel ofthe car. f l.

The invention has for a stillA furtherobject to provide a device of the character stated wherein the wheel actuatedineans shall be so constructed as to prevent lthe operationl of the semaphore when a car is traveling onA the track lira direction awayfrointhe crossing. lVith the foregoingand rother obJccts in view, the nature of which willappeaiV as the p description proceeds, theinvention vconsists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l'is'a top plan view of a railroad crossing equipped with a signal constructed in accordancewith my invention, Figure 2 is a view in side elevation ot a portion of the railroad track and the signal,

portions of the`near rail of thetrack being broken away,

Figure 3 is a view partly insideelevationA and partly in elevationfillustrating themanner in which the Wheelsof a car leaving the crossing may pass the wheelactuated means without operating the same, i

Fifrure 4 is a View partly in top plan' and partly inhorizontal section of the wheelactuj ated means and one of the rails ofthe track, Figure 5 is ase'ctional view taken on the vertical planel indicated by the line 5 5 of Figure 4:, I' Figui-e 6 is a sectional view taken on the vertical Figure 2, I

Figure 7 is asectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of .horizontal plane indicated by theline 7 7 V of Figure 2, and n Figure Sis a similar View' taken on the vertical plane indieatedby theline 8 8 of Figure2. i i i j Referring in .detail to the drawings, l and 2 designate rails and 3 the cross tiesof a. railroad track 4 which is crossed by a roadway 5.

A signal post 6` is arranged besidethe track 4 at theroadway 5, and' it is equipped With-a semaphore 7, a reiiector 8 anda gong 9. The semaphore 7 is pivoted between its ends tothe post 6, as shown at 10. It eXtends transverselyof and partly across the roadway 5, and is provided at a point forwardlyibeyondthc post 6 with a red lens vll.v The'miri'or 8 is supported on the post (Sby a bracket 12 and it is arranged at an .angle of about forty-five degrees with respect to Vthevlens 11 so asv to reflect the rays o the headlight'of an vaplproaching car through the lens l1. The gong v9 is iXed to tliepost 6 above the semaphore 7, and the hammer 13 for the gong is carried by thescii'iaphore. The liammercl is pivoted, as at 14, to the semaphore 7, and it is yieldiiigly maintained in` normal position by a spring l5 which is connected to the hammer and semaphore and which holds the hammer in contact with the stop 16. Asthe hammer 13 is-pivotally connected to thesemaphore `7 and is yieldingly maintained in norinal position, it will not interfere with the downward movement of the semaphore and will not sustain injury when brought into contact with the gong 9 and during such movement of the semaphore. v y g Y i y A sill `l=7 extends laterally or y outwardly 'from the track-4, and it preferably constitutes TheI couplings a part of one of the cross ties of the track. The post 6 is secured at its lower end to the outer end of the sill 17. A horizontal shaft 18 is journaled in bearings 19 secured to the rear side of the sill 17. 1t is provided at its inner end with an upwardly and rearwardly extending arm 2O and a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 21. -A drag rod 22 is pivotally connected as at 23 to the arm 20, and adrag `rod 24 is pivotally connected, as at 25, to the arm 21. The shaft 18 is provided at its outer end with a downwardly andrearwardly extending arm 26, and this arm is connected to the rear end of the se1na phore 7 by a link 27. The drag rods 22 and 24 are arranged one above the other and in `parallel relation to the rail 2, and they are supported by one or more series of rollers 28. Only one series `of the rollers 28 is shown. The rollers 28 are journaledin a .frame 29 which is carried by a bar 30 extending outwardly from the rail 2 and secured to the rail by a clamp 31. The drag rods 22 and 24 are of sectional formation, and the sections thereof are adjustably and yieldably connected by couplings 32 and compression springs 33. 32 are adjustably connected, as shown at 34 to the drag rod sections22" and 24'", and they are slidablyconnected, as shown at 35 to the drag `rod sections 22" and 24". The springs 33 surround the drag rod sections 22" and 24", and are positioned between the couplings 32 and stops 36 which latter are carried by the drag rod'sections. As their sections are adjustably connected, the effective lengths of the drag rods 22 and 24 may be varied to insure the proper operation or rocking of the semaphore 7, and as their sections are yieldingly connected, injury to the drag rods and to the semaphore, together with the parts connectingthe drag rods and semaphore, is prevented.

The drag rods 22 and24 are connected at theirrear ends to wheel actuated means coinprisingA a lever 37 arranged at the inner side "of the rail 2 and in parallel relation thereto. The lever 37 is pivotally mounted., as shown at 38, for rocking movement in a vertical plane parallel to the rail 2. It is of sectional formation and the front section 37 a carried by the horizontal pivot 38. `Its rear section 37" is carried by its front section '37 for movement therewith about the horizontal pivot 38 and for movement laterally with respect thereto and the rail The sections 37a and 37" are connected by a substantially vertical pivot 39 which passes through interengaging ears at the adjacent ends of the sections. The pivot 38 is carried by a plate 40 secured, as shown at 41, to the inner side of the web of the rail 2 and said pivot is also carried by a flange 42 extending upwardly from a. plate 43. Thelever section-37a is held"against lateral movementJ by a boss 44 on the bracket and by a washer 45 mounted on the pivot 38 between said section and the flange 42. The plate 43 is secured to cer tain of the cross ties 3 beneath the'rail 2, and it is provided with an opening 46 for the reception of a lug 47 extending downwardly from the lever section 37" and arranged near the front or free end of said section. The plate 43 is also provided with an opening 48 for the reception of a lug 49 extending downwardly from the lever section 37" and arranged near the rear or free end of said section. The opening 48 is large enough to permit the lever` section 37" to be moved laterally inward with respect to the rail 2. This lever section is yieldingly maintained in alinement with the lever section 37 and with its lug 49 in contact with the outer wall of the opening 48 by a leaf spring 50. The spring 50 is of arcuate forn'iation, has its front end secured as at 51 to the inner side of the lever section 37, passes through slots 52 in the flange 42, and has its free end bearing against the inner side of the lever section 37". The lever sections 37L and 37 are provided near their free ends with upstanding portions 37 and 37, respectively, with which the flanges of the car wheels contact as the car approaches or leaves the roadway 5.

Each wheel of a car approaching the roadway 5 will lirst contact with the lever portion 37d and thereafter contact with the lever portion 37 C, with the result that the rear and front ends of the lever 37 will be alternately depressed by wheels of the car. The drag rods 22 and 24 are so connected to Vthe lever section 37Z1 that each rocking movement of the lever 37 will imp art a similar movement to the semaphore 7. The means for connecting the drag rods 22 and 24 to the lever section 37 coinlnises a shaft 54 Journaled m bearings 55 and. 56 of which the former is secured to the plate 43 and the latter toa bar 57 secured to certain of the cross ties 3. The shaft 54 is horizontally arranged and extends inwardly and outwardly beyond the rail 2. It is provided at its lnner end with an angular crank 58 which passes through an opening 59 in the lug 47. Oppositelyextending arms 61 and 62 are secured to the shaft 54, and the vrear ends of the drag rods 22 and 24 lare secured to these arms. The lever section 37 is provided directly beneath its pivot 38 with a roller bearing 63 which contacts with the plate 43. l y

Then `a train is traveling in the direction of the roadway 5, thelast wheel thereof passes over the end 37 a of the lever 37, with the result that the lever is held with this end down by the weight of the semaphore 7 and the signals are not operated while the train is leaving the roadway.

The portion 37d of the lever section 37" is provided with a rearwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder 64 for contact by the flanges of the wheels of a. train traveling away from the roadway 5. Then a train is traveling in this direction, the lever 37 and signals will not be operated as the end 3 of the lever is depressed and as the lever section 37b yields lat orally under the pressure exerted thereon by the flanges of the wheels of the car.

In practice each track of a railroad will be equipped with one of the signa-ls. If the railroad consists of but a single track, such track will be equipped with two of the signals, and the respective signals will be operated from the respective sides of the roadway. The laterally movable lever section 37b prevents both signals of a single track railroad from being operated by a car approaching and leaving the roadway, the signal at the near side of the roadway being operated while the signal at the far side of the roadway remains inactive, with the result that confusion is avoided as would otherwise occur if one of the signals were operable by a train receding from the highway. The lever 37 will be located at a Considerable distance from the roadway, and as it is operated twice by each wheel of a car the visual and audible signals will be rapidly given and given in a manner which will inva` riably notify motorists that a train is approaching the roadway.

It should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

7hat is claimed is 1 1. A railroad crossing signal comprising signalling means, a lever pivoted between its ends in parallel relation to the rail of the railroad and adapted to be operated twice by each wheel of a passing car, a lug depending from the lever, a shaft having a crank engaged with the lug, a second shaft arms extending from said shafts, drag rods connected to the arms, another arm extending from the second shaft, and means connecting the other arm to the signalling means.

2. A railroad crossing signal comprising signalling means, a lever section arranged parallelto one of the rails of the railroad and roller bearing carried by said end of said lever section and. bearing on the plate.

A railroad crossing signal comprising a support, a semaphore pivoted to the support, a shaftprovided at one end with angularly related arms, an arm secured to the other end of the shaft and angularly related to saidfirst v 70 semaphore, a second shaft provided with arms i arms, a link connecting said last arm to the extending in opposite .directions therefrom, wheel actuated means connected to the second shaft, drag rods connected to said first and said last arms, the drag rods being of sectional formation, couplings adjustably connected to certain of the rod sections and slidably connected to the other rod sections, and springs positioned between the couplings and said other rod sections.

WILLIAM THOMAS GORRELL. 

